
SABBATH-SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLY
37
Notes.
1.
The Master was. weary, and in calm trust He slept. We
may well believe that "the prince of the power of the air" saw •
in the circumstances a good opportunity to destroy Him, hence
the storm which constantly increased in power. The strong,
hardy fishermen were afraid, and doubtless uttered, as their own
efforts seemed futile and their fate certain, all three appeals re-
corded by the evangelists, indicating their- increasing fear and
intense desire for their Lord's direction at such a time. First
came, "Lord, save us, we perish." Then, as the storm increased,
"Master, Master, we perish!" Then as He slept on seemingly
unmindful, there is a tone of reproach in their cry, "Master,
carest Thou not that we perish?" They did not yet know that
"anywhere with Jesus" was safety; that,
"No water can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean
and earth and
skies."
2.
"Gada,ra, now Umkeis, a fortified chief city of Decapolis,
of
considerable importance in the time of Christ, and having
many Greek inhabitants. It lay south of the river Huvomax,
seven miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, upon a level sum-
mit of a steep, limestone hill. . . . The country of tke
Gadarenes extended to the Jordan and the Sea of Galilee."—
"Bible Dictionary," American Tract Society.
3.
Other evangelists mention two demoniacs. One was prob-
ably much worse and more fierce than the other. His first yield-
ing to Satan may have been in the path of pleasure. He came
at
last to know that service in that way was the greatest bondage
of the whole man. The man longed for freedom. He tried to
pray for deliverance; but the demons made him pray for the
departure of Jesus. The evil spirits ,used his tongue to plead
for themselves. But beyond this discordant voice, Jesus heard
the cry of the imprisoned soul, and set the captive free.
The word "deep" is from the same Greek word as "bottom-
less pit" in Rev. 20:1, meaning abyss, the place where Satan will
be cast with his angels. They seemed to know that their doom
was assured. The time had not come for the execution of that
judgment.
4.
"The demons were permitted to sweep a herd of swine
into the sea; and to the dwellers of Gadara the loss of these out-
weighed the blessings which Christ had bestowed, and the divine
Healer was entreated to depart. This was the result which Satan
designed to secure. By casting the blame of their loss upon
Jesus, he aroused the selfish fears of the people, and prevented •
them from listening to His words. . . . But the purposes of